Steering roll assembly for continuous strip mill

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for centering strip moving continuously through a mill or processing line, comprising the combination with a steering roll assembly having a pivotally mounted frame for controlling the strip-steering action of a guide roll mounted thereon, of a mechanism for guiding the pivotal movement of the frame and for holding it against tilting movement by the tension in the strip travelling over the guide roll. The control frame is preferably in the form of a flat plate, and its guide mechanism comprises rollers engaged with opposite sides thereof which hold it in a plane perpendicular to its pivot axis.

United States Patent 1 Paradine STEERING ROLL ASSEMBLY FOR CONTINUOUSSTRIP MILL [75] Inventor:

[73] Assignee: United States Steel Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.

[22] Filed: June 26, 1969 [21] App]. No.: 836,711

Terry E. Paradine, Gary, Ind.

[52] US. Cl. 226/194, 226/196 [51] Int. Cl B65h 17/20 [58] Field ofSearch 226/196, 194, 21,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Frommer et a1. 226/21Shelton 226/22 1 Nov. 27, 1973 3,422,649 l/1969 Lowy 226/21 X PrimaryExaminerAllen N. Knowles AttorneyRobert J. Leek, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An apparatus for centering strip moving continuouslythrough a mill or processing line, comprising the combination with asteering roll assembly having a pivotally mounted frame for controllingthe strip-steering action of a guide roll mounted thereon, of amechanism for guiding the pivotal movement of the frame and for holdingit against tilting movement by the tension in the strip travelling overthe guide roll. The control frame is preferably in the form of a flatplate, and its guide mechanism comprises rollers engaged with oppositesides thereof which hold it in a plane perpendicular to its pivot axis.

3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures PMENIEU-uuv'm 197s A /n/A ww, m? I QINVENTOR. TERRY E. PARAD/NE A rtorney STEERING ROLL ASSEMBLY FORCONTINUOUS especially adapted for centering steel strip being pro-,

cessed at high rates of speed.

The invention relates, more specifically, to a steering roll assembly ofthe type in which the strip is looped around and travels over a steeringroll on a control frame, which is pivotally moved in opposite directionsby conventional edge detector mechanism to move the steering rollthereon to a skewed position in which it is effective to steer the stripalong a predetermined center-line. By reason of the strip being loopedaround the steering roll, the tension on the strip reacts against thepivotal control frame and tends to move it to a tilted position, andthis in turn produces an inaccurate steer? ing operation. Tilting of thecontrol frame by the strip tension in this manner produces a huntingaction which causes the automatic centering mechanism to overshootoroverreact in correcting the strip alignment, and at times results inthe formation of wrinkles along the edges of the strip being processed;In the case of tin plate, damage to the surface of the tinned strip mayoccur. Adjustments to reduce the sensitivity of the centering mechanismhave been resorted to for the purpose of eliminating hunting,-but havenot proved effective in practice.

One of the principal objects of this invention, accordingly, is toprovide an improved steering roll assembly in which the-pivotal controlframe for the steering roll is positively held against tilting movementby the tension on the strip being'processed, to thereby obtain animproved strip centering'action and eliminate the formation of wrinklededges on the strip. For this purpose, the steering roll assembly of thisinvention'is provided with a plurality of guide rollers, which haverolling engagement with opposite sides of the pivotal control frame, andoperate to hold it against tilting movement by the tension on the striptravelling over the steering roll.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side view of a steering roll assembly which is constructedin'accordance with invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view on a reduced scale of the steering apparatus shownin FIG. I; and FIGS. 3 and 4 are enlarged fragmentary sectional viewstaken substantially along the lines III-Ill and lV-IV of FIG. 2. Thesteering roll assembly shown in the drawings comprises a pair oflaterally spaced and parallel steering rolls 2 over which strip '5,moving through a continuous strip mill or processing line, is looped andtravels the principles of this in the direction indicated by the arrows,the strip moving to and from the rolls 2 respectively along pass-linesindicated respectively by the numerals 3 and 4. Opposite ehds of therolls 2 are rotatably supported by bearings 5 on a control frame in theform of a flat plate 6, which is parallel to the axes of the rolls 2.The plate 6 is mounted for pivotal movement about the axis of a pivotpin 7 that .extends vertically upwardly from a stationary base plate 8which is secured by beams (not shown) to the framework of the mill. Thepivot pin 7 forms part of the mounting of the plate 6 on the base plate8 and, as best shown in FIG. l,its axis extends along side one of therolls 2 in the plane of the pass-line 3 and is located centrally withrespect to the ends of the steering rolls 2.

A fluid pressure motor 9 controls the pivotal movement of the plate 6about the pin 7 and thereby the strip-steeringaction of the rolls 2. Themotor 9 comprises an hydraulic cylinder 10 which is pivotally connectedby a' bracket 11 at one end thereof to the base plate 8 and has a pistonrod 12 projecting from its other end. A clevis l3 pivotally connects theouter end of the piston rod 12 to a bracket 14 projecting outwardly fromthe plate 6. Conventional edge detection mechanism (not shown) controlsthe operation of the motor ,9 and thereby the pivotal movement of plate6 and the strip-steering action of the rolls 2. The apparatus thus fardescribed is conventional.

By reason of the manner in which the strip S is-looped over the guiderolls 2, the tension on the strip S exerts an upward pull on the rolls 2which tends to raise the plate 6, as viewed in FIG.'1 of the drawings,and tilt it about an axis extending transversely with respect to theaxis of the pivot pin 7. Tilting movement of the plate 6 by the striptension in this manner interferes with the steering action of the rolls2, and as mentioned above produces a hunting condition on the part ofthe automatic centering control mechanism and at times causes wrinklesto be formed in the strip travelling over the rolls 2.

In accordance with the principles of this invention, tilting movement ofthe control plate 6 is prevented by a pluralityof guide rollers whichhave rolling engagement with opposite faces 15 and 16 of the plate 6.For this purpose, the upper face 15 is engaged by a pair of rollers 17at the strip entry end of the plate 6, and by a pair of rollers 18 atthe'strip exit end thereof. Similarly, the lower face 16 is engaged andsupported by a pair of rollers 19 at the strip entry end, and by a pairof rollers 20 at the strip exit end. The rollers 17, 18, 19 and 20'operate to hold the plate 6 in a planar position in which it is parallelto the base plate 8 and perpendicular to the axis of the pivot pin 7,and thus against tilting movement by the tension on the strip S. Thishas been found to eliminate damage to the surface of tin plated stripand, as indicated above, corrects conditions causing hunting in thestrip centering mechanism as well as the formation of wrinkles in theedges of the strip.

'As shown in the drawings, the rollers 17 are supported on the baseplate 8 by brackets 21 and the rollers 18 are supported on the baseplate 8 by brackets 22. To reduce friction caused by endwise slidingmovement of the rollers 17 and 18 over the plate surface 15, thebrackets 21 and 22 are preferably mounted on the base plate 8 inpositions such that the axes of the rollers mounted thereon extend inthe direction of and interrollers 20 are similarly mounted on the plate8 in a posi- I tion such that the axes of the rollers 20 extend in adirection intersecting with the axis of the pivot pin 7 to reduceendwise sliding movement.

From the-foregoing'it will be apparent that the bottom rollers 19 and 20in conjunction with the upper rollers l7 and 18 operate to firmly holdthe pivotal plate 6 in a planar position and to guide its pivotalmovement about the axis of its pivot pin 7. The plate 6 is thus heldagainst tilting movement about an axis transversely of the axis of thepin 7 by the tension on the strip S moving over the steering rolls 2.The elimination of tilting movement of the plate 6 in this manner hasbeen found effective to reduce hunting on the part of the automaticmechanism controlling the pivotal movement of the plate 6 and to provideand improved steering action by the rolls 2 and to reduce strip damagefrom these causes.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, itwill be apparent that adaptations and modifications may be made withoutdeparting from the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: I

1. In a steering roll assembly for continuous strip processinglines-including a pair of steering rolls mounted for rotation aboutparallel axes, a control frame having bearings spaced outwardly fromopposite edges of the strip for rotatably supporting said rolls, saidstrip under tension passing around a substantial arc of the first ofsaid rolls toward said frame and then around a substantial arc of thesecond of said rolls and away from said frame, and means for pivotingsaid control frame about an axis normal to the plane through the axes ofsaid rolls and in the central transverse plane through said rolls, saidframe axis being in a plane generally tangent to the first of said rollson the strip approach side thereof, said pivoting means rendering saidrolls effective to correct the path of movement of the strip through theprocessing line; the improvement comprising means for guiding thepivotal movememt of said frame and for holding it against tilt ingmovement out of a planar position perpendicular to said pivot axis, saidcontrol frame including a plate spaced from said rolls, and said meansfor guiding the pivotal movement of said frame including a plurality ofrollers in rolling engagement with opposite sides of said plate.

2. A steering roll assembly according to claim 1 including meansmounting each of said rollers for rotation about an axis intersectingwith and perpendicular to said pivot axis.

3. A steering roll assembly according to claim 2 in which said plate ishorizontal and generally rectangular in shape, and in which one of saidrollers is located adjacent each corner of said plate on the top andbottom thereof.

1. In a steering roll assembly for continuous strip processing linesincluding a pair of steering rolls mounted for rotation about parallelaxes, a control frame having bearings spaced outwardly from oppositeedges of the strip for rotatably supporting said rolls, said strip undertension passing around a substantial arc of the first of said rollstoward said frame and then around a substantial arc of the second ofsaid rolls and away from said frame, and means for pivoting said controlframe about an axis normal to the plane through the axes of said rollsand in the central transverse plane through said rolls, said frame axisbeing in a plane generally tangent to the first of said rolls on thestrip approach side thereof, said pivoting means rendering said rollseffective to correct the path of movement of the strip through theprocessing line; the improvement comprising means for guiding thepivotal movememt of said frame and for holding it against tiltingmovement out of a planar position perpendicular to said pivot axis, saidcontrol frame including a plate spaced from said rolls, and said meansfor guiding the pivotal movement of said frame including a plurality ofrollers in rolling engagement with opposite sides of said plate.
 2. Asteering roll assembly according to claim 1 including means mountingeach of said rollers for rotation about an axis intersecting with andperpendicular to said pivot axis.
 3. A steering roll assembly accordingto claim 2 in which said plate is horizontal and generally rectangularin shape, and in which one of said rollers is located adjacent eachcorner of said plate on the top and bottom thereof.